06/08/2026
We had a little scare with one of our babies 🫣 but she pulled through— watch to see her zoooooom away when I try to give her pets 😂
Seramas are fragile as babies because of their teensy size. Even though she was the first to hatch, our silver chick took a turn for the worse about 48 hours after hatch. I honestly expected to find her 🪦☠️ the third morning, that’s how bad she looked 😭
But, I’m thankful this story had a happy ending! We made some modifications, including pulling her and her hatch mates into a separate brooder. Even though the silkies they were with were only a few days older, even a few days can make a big difference energy-wise with these tiny breeds, especially when they’re not feeling well ❤️
I also started dropper feeding her my magic sauce. I mix up an egg yolk (for protein), some Poultry Cell (electrolytes, plus I prefer something with iron since there can be some blood loss during hatching), and a drizzle of honey for their blood sugar. Thin it with some water, and touch it to the tips of their beaks. Don’t force it! It’s so easy to make them aspirate. I feed them a few drops every 30 mins- 1 hr to give them a little boost, and that seems to help a lot.
I’m also majorly a proponent of heat lamp over brooder plate for the first week or so. We found out the hard way that a brooder plate almost makes them choose between warmth and nourishment, and it’s much easier for them to get dehydrated. Which, in these babies, can mean a quick end unfortunately.
I’m far from an expert, but with these guidelines, our mortality rates have gone down significantly. I’d love to know if any of these work for you too!
What are y’all’s tips and tricks for new hatchlings’ success?
